Advert
BMW is launching the 116d – the company’s most fuel efficient vehicle. With a combined consumption figure of 64.2mpg and a CO2 emissions figure of 118g/km, the BMW 116d beats the 118d which was voted World Green Car of the Year.
Available in both three- and five-door guises, the BMW 116d is powered by a four-cylinder diesel engine producing 116hp. The 1,995cc powerplant with its 260Nm of torque from 1,750rpm can achieve 0-62mph in 10.2 seconds (10.3 seconds for the five-door) and a top speed of 125mph.
The BMW 116d costs just £35 a year to tax as it’s in Band B for Vehicle Excise Duty, while its 13 per cent Benefit-in-Kind rating means it makes sense for the business user. The new three-door BMW 116d costs from £17,605, while the five-door 116d is priced from £18,135. Both models go on sale in March 2009.
The 116d is also available with a new Sport trim level. Customers choosing this car over an ES model gain 17-inch alloy wheels, front foglights, heated exterior mirrors and windscreen washer jets, a Sport multi-function leather steering wheel and Sport seats. This is a fifth trim level for the 1 Series line-up to add to Standard, ES, SE and M Sport specifications.
The full year sales of BMW’s 1 Series Coupé and the widespread acceptance of BMW’s award-winning EfficientDynamics technologies helped BMW weather the credit crisis storm in 2008.
In what was a difficult year for the motor industry as a whole, BMW managed to stay ahead of the market trend by the end of December. The first full year of 1 Series Coupé and a sales growth in three-door 1 Series model uptake combined with a 22 per cent increase in 5 Series Touring sales were highlights in 2008. Year-end sales figures show BMW finished the year with 113,132 registrations. While the overall car market was down 11 per cent, BMW managed to increase its market share to 5.31per cent of Total Industry Volume despite sales falling by seven per cent.
Tim Abbott, BMW UK Sales Director, said: “2008 was very much a year of two halves. A strong first six months saw BMW sales increase overall, but this was unfortunately cancelled out by the difficult times all manufacturers faced in the last six months. BMW has not been immune to the current credit crisis but has ended the year in a stronger position than the market as a whole and with an increase in market share compared to 2007. Following a degree of restructuring in 2008, BMW is now well placed to tackle the challenges that lie ahead in 2009.”
